I only know of pilot0, in the cfs3 export dll I never saw a reference for gunner0. I always insert a model for this in the external for the mesh. Same way I do for the copilots. If I am wrong this is new to me.
yeah, you can create another pilot0 dummy and rotate the node as you describe. I usually do that unless the figure doesn't fit . In that case I add a 3d gunner figure as Ted describes.